In search of a better quality of life, fulfilling our dreams to see the world and provide ourselves and young children with invaluable experiences, we sold our home and possessions in London to begin our journey of a lifetime.
Here we will share our tips, stories, successes and failures, not only for our families and friends, but also to assist those who may have similar adventures in mind. We hope also to inspire those who relish the idea of travelling to newer and unfamiliar pastures but do not know how and those who require some evidence it can be done.

16 December 2011

World Travel: Staying In Shape The Crossfit Way

EXERCISE is high on my priority list. In fact, I feel as if I couldn’t do without it. I don’t need to list the benefits. I think we all know what they are.

But being on the move a lot can make it challenging sometimes, particularly if you are an athlete in training for an event of some kind.

If your aim is just to stay in shape and be healthy, then it’s more simple. Almost everywhere there are gyms and, at the very least, one can put on a pair of running shoes and go jogging or fast walking.

However, when it comes to exercise I’ll admit I’m not a moderate sort of person. But I’m learning – after more than 35 years of training in various sports – that quality is more important than quantity. I used to think more was better.

With a family, time to exercise is often hard to make, even if, like me, you are not working (though effectively I am a full-time parent).

So it was a Godsend – in more ways than one – when I discovered Crossfit, where the emphasis is on intensity. Finally, I’d found a method of training – with results - where you don’t have to put in the long, long hours.

It's not for everyone (what is?) and having a reasonable level of fitness before starting will certainly help. But it's excellent for anyone participating in contact sports and more and more top athletes are now incorporating Crossfit-style workouts into their routines.

I knew it wasn’t going to be a breeze from the moment I walked into Crossfit West Yorkshire in Leeds a month ago and saw the motto: “Our warm-up is your workout”.

And when I started training, the mantra turned out to be true: the warm-up was a killer. But I loved it. I left each workout with a big smile on my face. I felt I’d worked hard, had fun and learned something new. I couldn't wait for the next one, even if my body ached, but it was the sort of pain that told me I’d made a big effort.

No session was ever the same. Many of the exercises involved Olympic lifts, where perfect technique is important to avoid injury. I liked how Rakesh, the coach at Crossfit West Yorkshire, took me through each movement really thoroughly.

Although there’s a really competitive element to Crossfit – to better your scores, times and beat everyone else in the gym – and this can be counterproductive to maintaining strict form, I think it’s important to compete only against yourself and make sure you don’t cheat. What’s more critical: a high score or staying injury-free?

For a month I was jumping on to boxes, flailing my arms with ropes thick enough to hold the Titanic at bay, squatting, deadlifting, shoulder pressing, rowing, hanging off of bars, skipping rope, doing hundreds of squats, sprints, press-ups (sometimes on gymnastic rings), chin-ups, burpees and often combining all these exercises into a cocktail of serious sweat and intensity.

A few days before I left Huddersfield, I went to the gym to watch a fundraiser (pictured above), Crossfit-style: 1,001 burpees!

I’m now a Crossfit addict. It suits my schedule and personality and, for me, beats the idea of countless sets and reps in a gym for hours on end.

The emphasis for me now is to stay strong and healthy, while improving flexibility, mobility, endurance, speed, power, balance, co-ordination, posture... I do also have a desire, next year or the year after, to complete a full triathlon, which for me is a serious challenge as I am not a great freestyle swimmer, distance runner or cyclist. Anything is possible, right?

I also want to keep up with my children for years to come. In fact, I want to stay a step ahead of them – always.

So wherever I go, I’ll search out a Crossfit gym (there are more than 2,500 worldwide). If you want to try something different and enjoy pushing yourself to the limit – and further – give Crossfit a go. You might enjoy it.

*Crossfit West Yorkshire is located at Unit 11, Carlton Mills, Pickering Street, Armley, Leeds LS12 2QG. Call Rakesh on 07481 577480. At Crossfit West Yorkshire you can get a week's FREE training. Email: crossfitwestyorkshire@gmail.com